Funds for Hindu Temples in Karnataka will not be spent on other religious institutions

Decision taken by Karnataka Govt after protest by the Hindu organisations

Bengaluru (Karnataka) – Karnataka Government has ordered that the funds of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments (HRCE) Department also known as Muzrai Department be no longer used to fund any non-Hindu religious institutions.

In response to the recent outrage by various Hindu groups and leaders against the distribution of ‘tastik’ money from the HRCE to priests and staff of other religious institutions, Minister for Muzrai Kota Srinivas Poojary directed that all such acts of financial support from the department be halted with immediate effect.

Funds Meant For Hindu Temples In Karnataka Will No Longer Be Spent On Other Religious Institutions

– @bhatinmaaihttps://t.co/qmUF5DKaho

— Swarajya (@SwarajyaMag) June 9, 2021

In a statement, the HRCE Commissioner informed that a total of Rs 133 crore is spent annually on ‘tastik’ distribution which covers around 27,000 Hindu temples in the State. But among the recipients of the ‘tastik’ are 764 other non-Hindu religious institutions, and an order shall be issued to stop the same with immediate notice as instructed by the Minister.

Hindu organisations had recently opposed the distribution of Covid compensation to imams of mosques from the funds of the HRCE department. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had recently announced a relief package of Rs. 500 crore which involved a one-time compensation to ‘archakas’ and staff of C-grade temples as well as Imams and muezzins of mosques.

While the compensation to priests was welcomed, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad earlier today opposed the Government’s move to sanction a compensation from the funds of the HRCE to mosques. VHP leaders who met Poojary earlier today had condemned this decision of the Government.